Real Madrid defender on track for one-year contract extension – report

Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty ImagesShareTweetReal Madrid have been working to close some important contract renewals in recent weeks. An agreement has been reached to extend Thibaut Courtois’ deal while Gonzalo Garcia’s extension has already been announced.Brahim Diaz is also understood to be on his way to penning a new contract with Los Blancos, although negotiations with Vinicius Jr. remain at a standstill.Antonio Rudiger to extend by one yearNow, according to journalist Alberto Pereiro, Antonio Rudiger, who is one of three players with a contract expiring in 2026, is on track to continuing at Real Madrid for an additional year.The German international arrived as a free agent in 2022 and has grown into a crucial player for Real Madrid during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.One-year extension on the cards for Rudiger. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)The last season was a difficult one for the veteran centre-back, though, as he played through injury before finally undergoing surgery in the latter stages of the campaign.Rudiger returned to action at the FIFA Club World Cup but was far from his best, leading to doubts over his continuity at the club.However, it appears that the former Chelsea ace is on track to continue at the Spanish capital club for one more year beyond the length of his current contract.Rudiger is 32 years old and will be 33 by the end of the season. So, it remains to be seen how his fitness holds up, especially after a difficult period this past campaign. However, for now, the German defender appears likely to be given a one-year extension to continue at Real Madrid.Real Madrid NewsBarcelona midfielder heaps praise on Real Madrid superstar duo – ‘Truly incredible’Published 2 minutes agoon August 9, 2025Photo by Han Myung-Gu/Getty ImagesSpeaking in an interview with France Football (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Barcelona midfield superstar Pedri lavished praise on Real Madrid duo Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham.Last season, the Blaugrana enjoyed great dominance over Los Blancos – winning each of the four El Clasico encounters, in the process costing the Spanish capital giants the La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup titles.As such, Real Madrid have gone all out to improve their squad this summer, changing their manager and making four new signings.Talking about Real Madrid, Pedri insisted that they remain Barcelona’s strongest rivals and pointed out the qualities of Mbappe and Bellingham that make them dangerous.“Real Madrid have a lot of very good players. When Mbappe has the ball and is in a one-on-one situation, it’s very difficult to stop him,” Pedri said.“And Jude Bellingham is truly incredible. He combines physical strength with technical skill, which makes him extremely difficult to play against,” he added.Pedri was full of praise for Mbappe and Bellingham. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)Pedri is among the Top 30 nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, as are both Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, along with last year’s runner-up Vinicius Jr, who lost the top prize to Manchester City’s Rodri.And Pedri stated that the Spanish international’s victory last year gives him hope that he can also win the golden orb in the future.“The Ballon d’Or often goes to forwards, but Rodri’s award shows that the role of midfielders needs to be valued more. Why can’t I dream of winning it one day?”Apart from Pedri, Barcelona have three more nominations in the Ballon d’Or race with Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha also making the final 30.